“Stuck at Home”: Empowering Homebound Older Adults

Authors

  • Anna Kelling Bowling Green State University
  • Hee Soon Lee Bowling Green State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v10i1.1244

Keywords:

older adult, homebound, community-dwelling, senior, senior center, home delivered meals

Abstract

Homebound older adults are a highly vulnerable and isolated population that social workers serve. The objective of this study is to understand the daily needs and challenges of this group to understand how social workers can empower this population to enhance well-being and help meet basic human needs. Existing data was accessed from assessment forms at a local senior center to understand more about 502 home-delivered meal recipients.  Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to see common characteristics and prevalent needs in the sample. Logistic regression analysis reveals that those who are living alone are 2.1 times more live-in poverty than those who live with someone. Likewise, those who are living alone are 8.4 times more at high nutritional risk than those who live with someone. Qualitative data revealed the importance of agency services and strong social supports to help older adults meet basic human needs on a daily basis. This article discusses what further can be done to support homebound older adults by identifying problem areas relating to living and eating alone.

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Author Biography

Hee Soon Lee, Bowling Green State University

HeeSoon Lee is an Associate Professor in the Social Work Program within the Department of Human Services. She earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of South Carolina at Columbia in 2010 and joined the Bowling Green State University since 2011. Her research interests include coping strategy, quality of life, end-of-life care, sexual communication satisfaction, obesity and emotional eating, aging-in-place in cross-cultural older adults. She has a specific interest in quality of life in older adults who live alone. She teaches courses on Diversity and Social Justice, Aging and Diversity and Research Methods for undergraduate and graduate levels.

Published

06-30-2021

How to Cite

Kelling, A., & Lee, H. S. (2021). “Stuck at Home”: Empowering Homebound Older Adults. Journal of Student Research, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v10i1.1244

Issue

Section

Research Articles